FDNY: Vietnam War Commission

Published: October 21, 2015

FDNY JOINS VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATIVE PARTNER PROGRAM WITH UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Holding the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration progra flag (from left to right) Chief of Department James E. Leonard, Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro, Retired FDNY Lieutenant and Vietnam War veteran John Newmsn, and retired Major General Peter Aylward.

Wednesday, October 21, FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro, Chief of Department James E. Leonard  launched the Department's participation in the Vietnam War Commemorative Partner Program with retired Major General Peter Aylward, officers and retired members at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn. The nationwide program is managed by the Department of Defense as part of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, marking 50 yearssince the conflict.

"Far too many young Americans gave their lives in the Vietnam War, and far too many remain missing in action today. We at the FDNY know full well the full pain that comes with never recovering a loved one who has been lost," said Commissioner Nigro. "That is just one of the many reasons why we have such a strong bond with our brothers and sisters in the military - veterans have long filled the ranks of our Department, and more and more enter our ranks with every new class of Firefighters, Paramedics, and EMTs."

The Commemorative Partner Program is designed for communities, veterans' organizations and other agencies to assist in thanking and honoring our Vietnam War veterans and their families.  Partners participate in commemoration by planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the war's veterans and their families' service, valor, and sacrifice.

"Less than one percent of the American people serve in uniform so that the rest of us can live free, and back during the Vietnam days, those men and women put their lives on the line, they answered the call and they weren’t treated right when they came home," said Major General Aylward, senior advisor to the Vietnam War Commemoration program. "So what's important in this program here is to thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families where they live. That is why it is so important to us to have the New York City Fire Department become one of our almost 9,000 partners."

Every Firehouse and EMS Station throughout the five boroughs will participate in the program, and commemorative flags marking FDNY’s participation will fly beneath the American flag through 2017.

"When I became part of the Fire Department and got to my first firehouse, Engine 47, in Harlem, the first day on the job I had four hellacious fires and we were out all day fighting them, and first day on the job I was able to operate the hoseline. When I got home that night, I told my wife ‘that's it, I found my place in life,' I just felt so relieved. The atmosphere was like being home, and that’s the way it was the whole time I was in the Fire Department - like all I had ever wanted to do was to put out fires," said John Newman , a retired Lieutenant from Engine Company 280, and a United States Marine Corps who served in the Vietnam War. "It is great that the FDNY is partnering with a Vietnam Veterans group and it seems like now we are being vindicated and being told that what we did really matters,"

See more photos from the launch ceremony here.